un: sieglindesullivan / video

[grunehexe]

[If you've ever seen an illegal cam recording from the back row of a theater, you are familiar with the style of this broadcast.

Observe, (as best you can), the players upon the stage. The stage being the cave in which many of them have taken shelter from the storm outside, specifically a large, flat rock, at which two fine male specimens you may recognize as Achilles, son of Peleus, and a certain McCree, locked in the midst of a fierce... arm wrestling battle.

Bare arm muscles flexing, beads of sweat dripping, jaws gritting, knuckles white and shaking, eyes narrowed in concentration and competition, testosterone veritably sparking in the air... as two very fit grown men have it out in a no holds barred thirst-fanning battle of the bulges. Arm muscle bulges.

You might catch glimpse of the lovely referee, (blond, very appropriately serious about judging this contest, thanks, Riza), and hear snatches of people rooting for a particular candidate, (the broadcaster herself seems to favor Achilles, if "steel yourself for victory, Achilles!" is any indication), but mostly this is about enjoying a good man on man test of strength.

Until, that is, a voice can be heard.]

- Are you recording that?

[The video sadly? and promptly goes black as the magitek jewelry is clutched to a bosom in scandalous retort.]

Is it not a sight worth sharing? For posterity, you see-

[And apparently she thought it best to post... for posterty. What? Any lady or inclined fella unfortunate enough to not see it go down surely wouldn't want to miss the show... ?]

Comments

werk it gurl

[winces]

[ you might as well tell her not to BREATHE, riza. ]

Y-You mean this is what they want? A crowd?

[ it might seem a little strange, that someone who actually performs for a living has any kind of stage fright, but there you have it. olivia, not making sense since 1988. ]

[strictdiscipline]

[Is it stage fright or is it mortification over the stupid actions of her boyfriend....

Either way, Olivia's discomfort is about as entertaining as the show in front of them.]

I doubt they would have made such a fuss over this [read: all that prepwork] if they hadn't. Don't you usually perform in front of a crowd when you dance?

[winces]

[ why not both, tho. ]

Well — yes. [ but that's a different matter entirely and let's not get started on the absurdity of her own stage fright... ] But usually I have time to prepare, and steel myself... This is — all so sudden!

[strictdiscipline]

I believe it's called improvisation.

[Not half bad too. But alright, she'll relent. Riza glances over, expression softening.]

Does it really bother you that much?

[Do you not like looking at attractive men.]

[winces]

[ second-hand embarrassment is the leading cause of death in smol dancers, riza, didn't you know.

but when riza asks her that, she has to take a moment to actually look around her. everyone else seems to be having fun, and even achilles and mccree themselves seem unbothered by it all... while olivia has no doubt in her mind that riza possesses the fortitude to put an end to all this with just a look, she certainly doesn't want to be the reason that everyone's fun has to come to an end. ]

No... If it's really something they like, then — then they should keep doing it...! I guess I was just projecting too much.

[strictdiscipline]

[If she didn't then, she certainly does now.

If Riza were the girl she had been many years ago, before she joined the military and before she'd joined up with ALASTAIR, she likely would have had much the same reaction. But she's older now, and if not wiser then at least more appreciative of the small things life sees fit to give her, and the bared arms are certainly one of the better things life's given her of late.

She can admire guns of all shapes and sizes and sorts.

And, from one woman to another:]

It's not a wholly bad sight. [A pause.] Unless neither of them are your type.

[winces]

[ in this moment, let us all be quite thankful that olivia does not possesses inhuman strength...

and that squidges are not actually made of bubbles...

because the sudden jerking movement that olivia makes with her hands, as well the the octave her voice reaches in that moment would have definitely broken something otherwise. ]

—T-Type?!

[strictdiscipline]

[That poor squidge...also Riza's poor eardrums. Thank goodness for poker face training.

The fluster comes as a surprise though, enough to elicit a change in expression. Her eyes widen and her voice lifts with genuine curiosity.]

You don't have a preference when it comes to men?

[She's not even going to couch this in more subtle terms.]

[winces]

[ w-wait... where is this conversation even going anymore...?! ]

U-Um. I mean — of course I do... d-doesn't everyone have a preference...

[strictdiscipline]

[Why is she so nervous about this whole thing.....gurl please.]

But yours isn't the two men in front of us?

[Why else would she be so surprised...]

[winces]

[ because! she's! olivia!! get to know her already gosh ]

I mean... Th-That would be inaccurate to say....

[strictdiscipline]

[Well stop being so olivia!! Gosh.

Also this is clearly getting the both of them nowhere, no point in mincing words anymore.]

Then what is your type?

[Spill the deets, sister.]

[winces]

[ wow??

but this is true, they are not getting anywhere, and olivia would probably be okay to do this song-and-dance for a good while longer but riza never really struck her as the patience time and even though she doesn't know riza very well, the idea of disappointing her is already kind of devastating.

and so—! ]

M-My type is some strong and kind and caring...!

[ ... but also: ]

A-And incredibly sexy too!!

[strictdiscipline]

[

The first half seems quite rote, the type of generic answer someone like Olivia might give. It's that last bit that really comes out of nowhere, Riza's eyes first widening in shock before crinkling at the edges in good humor. She doesn't laugh but her smile's completely genuine.]

That's a good type to have. And it looks like you've got two excellent candidates up there.

[Well, at least for that last part. (Little does she know....)]

[winces]

Y-Yes, we do... Perhaps one more than the other.

[ that last part, she mumbles a bit shyly to herself.

wait a minute, though. is riza implying—?? ]

D-Do you mean to say you're interested in one of them?

[strictdiscipline]

[Don't think she doesn't hear that, missy. She's not about to let this be turned around on her so easily.]

It sounds like you're more interested than I am.

1/2

[winces]

[ s-such deflection stats...! IT'S OVER 9000 ]

2/2

[winces]

Th-That's... That is... true...................

[strictdiscipline]

[just gonna....sidle a step closer and wait patiently for the rest




:)

:) :) :)]

[winces]

[ riza no... riza pls... ]

I-I mean... Achilles is — he's really amazing, d-don't you think?

[ ah ]

N-Not to say that Mr. McCree isn't...! He's great, too! But. Maybe... Maybe Achilles is more so........

[strictdiscipline]

[What an effusive compliment. There's something going on here. Riza's own interactions with Achilles have been limited, for the most part; if there's something about the man that makes him so great, she's yet to see it.]

Oh? What makes you say that?

[Sell your boyfriend's merits, Olivia.]

[winces]

[ olivia, for her part, can only return riza's curious look with one of her own. perhaps even tinged with a dash of incredulous shock. as if the answers to her question should be obvious enough. as if they were as glaring as the contours of every muscle the man so shamelessly displays right now.

it actually takes her a moment to get around to it. ]

I mean... look at him. [ for one thing!! ] And he is an actual hero from a very famous legend [ only applicable to certain worlds, though, ah ] also he's big and strong and brave but even though he seems really intimidating, he's also really sweet and gentle and tender and when he looks at you, he has this way of making it seem like you're the only person that matters and then there's the just way he talks—!

[ please.

please stop her. ]

[strictdiscipline]

[Wow. There's not much else to say save for that, really, because this long list of redeeming qualities does not quite match up to her experiences with the man (which have been, admittedly, few and far between).

But she does know Olivia, or at least marginally better than she knows Achilles, so she takes Olivia's praise and translates it to something she can better understand.]

He's very lucky to have you on his side then.

[She'd say it the other way around but ehhhh...]

[winces]

[ once again, olivia looks thrown. her eyes widen a fraction, and then she is glancing away, cheeks red with something other than embarrassment and ardor. ]

That's... [ generous. ] I'm the lucky one, really.

[strictdiscipline]

[That's the truth, insofar as Riza sees things. But then again, she's had little time for waffling and indecision of late (and has wasted too much time on those activities already).

There's no judgement on Riza's face as she watches Olivia for a moment, only patient expectation.]

You don't think he's lucky to have you?